Jaipur, Jan 21 (PTI) Recycling industry leaders have sought an ease of doing cross-border trade, saying that global market access for reusable products is key to the growth of the circular economy.
Global
market access remains the highest priority for the recycling industry, particularly for countries like the United States that generate a structural surplus of recycled materials, said Robin Wiener, President of US-based Recycled Materials Association (ReMA).
"The US generates an excess of recycled materials every year. In 2025 alone, this surplus exceeded USD 22 billion across commodities, making export markets critical to industry resilience, investment and innovation," Wiener said at the International Material Recycling Conference (IMRC 2026) here.
Wiener further said that the US-India recycling trade has grown nearly six-fold in the past two decades, and remained unaffected from recent tariff measures, as India did not retaliate against the Donald Trump administration's move to impose high tariffs on US imports in the country.
The US-India recycling trade has grown six-fold in 19 years from USD 375 million at the time of the first industry trade mission to India, she said, adding that India is now the US' third-largest trading partner for recycled materials by volume and value.
"In the past year, the US exported 4.3 million metric tonnes of recycled materials to India, accounting for nearly 14 per cent of total US export volumes and USD 2.3 billion in value, or about 8 per cent of total export value," she said.
Speaking about tariffs faced by the recycling sector, Wiener said that since January 2025, multiple tariff regimes - introduced under different US trade authorities - have increased average tariff rates from around 2 per cent to the peak of nearly 30 per cent, with current levels hovering around 18 per cent.
She welcomed India's decision not to impose retaliatory measures on US recycled material exports, and said that the ongoing bilateral trade negotiations are expected to conclude by the end of the first quarter of 2026.
"So far, recycled material flows between the US and India have not been materially impacted by tariffs, demonstrating the resilience of this trade relationship," Wiener said.
However, she cautioned that export restrictions, rather than tariffs, pose the greater long-term threat.
"There has been pressure to restrict exports of copper, aluminium, nickel, and stainless steel. While proposed copper export controls were successfully pushed back, discussions on aluminium and nickel continue.
"With surplus material available, export restrictions are unnecessary and counterproductive to global circularity," she said.
Besides, Wiener said that the diversity of materials shipped to India "reflects the diversity and scale of Indian manufacturing demand".
"While steel and aluminium tariffs do not directly apply to recycled materials, there is growing concern around downstream products and equipment," she added.
Mir Mujtaba, President, Bureau of Middle East Recycling (BMR), also highlighted the importance of recycling with the region undergoing a structural transformation driven by sustainability mandates, traceability and net-zero commitments.
"The Middle East is not becoming a question mark for the global recycling trade. It is becoming an explanation - an explanation of cleaner, safer and more responsible trade," Mujtaba said.
He said that by 2030-2050, countries across the region, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Oman, are targeting net-zero outcomes, positioning recycling as a strategic industry rather than a peripheral activity.
Mujtaba said the alignment between Indian and Middle Eastern policy objectives creates a natural strategic partnership.
"India brings scale, processing expertise and manufacturing depth, while the Middle East offers world-class logistics, capital and policy-driven sustainability. Together, this creates a strategic recycling corridor, not just a trade route," he said.
Amar Singh, Secretary General, Material Recycling Association of India (MRAI), said that India's circular economy has the potential to generate over USD 2 trillion in market value and nearly 10 million jobs by 2050.
He said India has put in place a comprehensive policy ecosystem covering ferrous and non-ferrous recycling.
"Key policies such as the National Steel Policy, Steel Scrap Recycling Policy, PLI scheme for speciality steel and the National Green Hydrogen Mission support value-added steel production and low-carbon transition," Singh said.
Initiatives like the Green Steel Roadmap and Green Steel Taxonomy provide clear direction on decarbonisation, green finance and global competitiveness, he said, adding, "In the non-ferrous segment, frameworks such as the National Non-Ferrous Scrap Recycling Policy 2020 and Aluminium and Copper Circular Economy Vision documents anchor India's recycling roadmap."
He also highlighted challenges, including low domestic scrap availability, high dependence on imports, GST distortions and the dominance of the informal sector.
"MRAI has consistently advocated for free flow of scrap, leading to reductions in import duty on several metals, with further reductions - including aluminium - expected," he said.
Sanjay Mehta, President, MRAI, said duty-free access to scrap is essential for India's circular economy ambitions.
"Zero duty on all scrap imports, particularly aluminium, is inevitable. It aligns with India's circular economy and manufacturing goals, and we expect progress within the next 6 to 12 months," he said.
Mehta said MRAI is strengthening its advocacy framework through deeper government engagement, expanded leadership involvement and professional communications support. PTI AG HVA
